Page 42 of SEAL Summer Escape

He was an attractive man, no doubt, but something about Mason simultaneously sent heat coursing through her and shivers racing down her spine.She was electrified by his touch.And he couldn’t seem to keep his hands off of her.

“I like knowing that you’ll be here worrying about me.Maybe I shouldn’t, maybe that’s a cave man sort of mentality—the woman waiting back at home.But I love knowing that you care, sweetheart.I worry about you, too, when I’m not around.Why do you think I rushed over to your apartment last night?”

“This is crazy,” she said, nervously pulling her hand away.“Everything just feels like it’s happening so fast.”

Mason’s eyes were bright, warm—and seemed to see right through her.“Why’s it crazy?”he asked, settling back into his own space.He leaned back on his elbows as he gazed at her, relaxed and casual.

How could he be so calm about something like this?

She’d confessed she worried about him when he was gone, and they’d barely started dating.Goodness, it had taken weeks just for her to agree to go out with him.They’d already been intimate together this morning—he’d made her come in her bed for goodness sakes.

A flush spread over her skin at the memory.

“Because—it just is.I always take things slowly when I meet someone.”

“We’ve known each other for months,” Mason pointed out.“Maybe we weren’t dating then, but we’ve been texting.Talking at Anchors.Slowly getting to know one another.And hell—I want more of all this.I want you to spend time with my friends—and not just when you’re working.I want to stay at your place again and have you at mine.”

“You want me to stay over?”

Mason’s eyes heated.“Hell yes.I want you in my space and in my life.I want you in my bed, Taylor.I want to explore your beautiful body and have you cry out my name.I want to claim you as mine.”

“Wow, I just—I feel so overwhelmed.”

“I don’t mean to rush you, sweetheart.I’m just letting you know how I feel.Where I stand.”

“It’ll take some getting used to,” she hedged.“I mean, you know I dated my ex for several years.He was always secretive about things—about his drinking, about his losing job after job.I almost don’t know what to do with someone who has their act together.”

“I’m sorry you dealt with all that—sorry he’s still causing you problems.But I’m not like that.I’ve got a career in the Navy I’m dedicated to.I’ve got a circle of friends and teammates who literally would die for me—and vice versa.I don’t play games—not with my career, not with my friends, and certainly not with the woman I’m dating.”

“I appreciate that,” she said, shifting on the blanket.“I like that you’re open and honest.It’s just a big adjustment for me.”Her dress billowed slightly in the breeze, and Mason’s gaze briefly swept to her bare legs.

Heat rose within her at his simple glance.

A crack of thunder in the distance sent her jumping, and Mason cursed.

The sky above them darkened even more as the wind blew in the storm clouds that had been off the coast.A couple of light rain drops began to fall, and Taylor hastily wrapped up the rest of her sandwich.

“It looks like the forecast was way off.The storm might blow over, but then we’ll be soaking wet.My place isn’t too far from here.How about we pack up and finish our picnic there?I’ll drive you back to your apartment later on this evening.”

“Okay, that sounds good,” Taylor said, standing up on the blanket.

A big gust of wind blew her dress, and she shrieked as it billowed around her.“I’ll get the food,” Mason said, quickly gathering everything.He tucked everything into his backpack and grabbed the blanket as he stood, balling it up.He reached over for Taylor’s hand, and then they were hurrying across the sand as the rain began to fall.

They were soaking wet by the time they got back to Mason’s SUV, and Taylor began to laugh.“So much for beating the rain.”

Her dress clung to her like a second skin, and Mason’s gaze heated as it ran over her body.He impulsively ducked down and kissed her, sending a thrill shooting straight through her.He grabbed a towel from the back of his SUV, handing it to her as she climbed inside.

“Your seats will be soaked!”she protested.

“It’s fine,” he assured her.

A moment later he was rounding the car and climbing into the driver’s seat, chuckling as the rain pounded down on the windshield.“So much for being suave and pulling off a nice picnic for our first date.”

“Hey, you got a workout in,” she joked.“Running back to your car was the most I’ve run in years.”

“Well whatever you do, it works,” he said.“You always look amazing.”

“Walk,” she said, towel-drying her hair.She dabbed at her chest with the now sopping wet towel.“I walk down the boardwalk.Running isn’t really my thing.”

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